Ammonia Refrigeration & Scenario in

Industrial Refrigeration

By
Ramesh Paranjpey
ASHRAE Fellow Life member

5th March 2014

Basic Components Of A Refrigeration
System
Refrigerant Flow Path
Refrigerant ?
 REFRIGERANT EVALUATION PROCESS

1. ENVIRONMENT

2. PERFORMANCE

3. ENERGY EFFICIENCY

4. TOXICITY/SAFETY

5. FLAMMABILITY

6. MATERIAL CPMPATIBILITY

7. STABILITY

8. COST
 THERMAL/PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
•BOILING POINT

•DISCHARGE TEMPERATURE

•DISCHARGE PRESSURE

•SPECIFIC VOLUME

•DENSITY

•LATENT HEAT OF VAPORISATION

•COMPRESSOR DISPLACEMENT

•HORSE POWER PER TON

•COP
Ammonia Refrigeration & Scenario in
Industrial Refrigeration

Why Ammonia ?

5th March 2014

Reasons for Selecting Ammonia Refrigerant
• ODP-0
• GWP < 1
• Atmospheric Life- 0.01 years
• Natural Refrigerant
• Highest Efficiency-Better Heat Transfer
Properties
• Easier Oil Management
• Low Cost-Easy Availability
 Natural Refrigerants
(Zero ODP & Ultra-low GWP Refrigerants)

• Hydrocarbons (HC-290, HC-600a)

• Ammonia (R-717)
• Carbon Dioxide (R-744)
• Water (R-718)
• Air
 Refrigerants Time-line
SO2
NH3
CH3Cl
CFCs
HCFCs
HFCs
HCs
air
water
CO2

1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000

© A Pearson 1999
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

TOXICITY HOW MUCH

HOW LONG

FLAMABILITY

EXPLOSIVENESS

ODOUR PUNGENT
DETECTABLE-5PPM ONWARDS

LEAKAGE TENDENCY LESS LOSS-PURGING/LEAKS

8.2CFT/LB AGAINST1.2CFT/LB
FOR R-22

MOISTURE TOLERENCE IMMENSE-AQUA/AMMONIA

OIL MISCIBILITY IMMISCIBLE

 ASHRAE Standard 34.1-2013-Toxicity/Flammability

Flammability in Air @ 60°C & 101.3 kPa ASHRAE Standard Safety Group

Higher Flammability
A3 B3
LFL or ETFL60 ≤ 100 g/m3 OR HOC ≥ 19 MJ/kg

Lower Flammability
A2 B2
LFL or ETFL60 > 100 g/m3 & HOC < 19 MJ/kg
Lower Flammability
LFL or ETFL60 > 100 g/m3 & HOC < 19 MJ/kg A2L B2L
with a maximum burning velocity of ≤ 10 cm/s
No flame Propagation A1 B1
Higher Toxicity
Lower Toxicity
Flammability in Air @ 60°C & 101.3 kPa OEL
OEL ≥ 400PPM
< 400 PPM
LFL = Lower Flammability Limit
ETFL60 = Elevated Temperature Flame Limit @ 60°C
HOC = Heat Of Combustion, OEL-Occupational Exposure Limit
 Toxicity

5 PPM Onwards Detectable

Detected by most – no health hazard exposure

25 PPM
10 – 15 years

100 PPM No dangerous effects, minor irritation.

400 – 700 Irritation Eyes, Nose, Mucous . Lead to

PPM dryness
1700 PPM Cough, Cramp, Serious Irritation, Injuries

2000 PPM Can Lead to Death

7000 PPM Lethal within few minutes

Comparison of Various Refrigerants
ASHRAE Fundamentals 2009 Table 9-29.9
 Comparison at -200 F/+95 0F

Refrigerant Capacity- Shaft HP/ TR

TR Power
R 717 104.4 245.2 2.349
R-22 104.7 264.9 2.530
R134a 53.8 148.6 2.762
R404A 97.9 290.8 2.970
R 507 102.2 302.3 2.958
R410A 151.5 415.3 2.741
 Ammonia Refrigerant v/s R-22
1. Specific heat of liquid is 4 times - 4 to 1
2. Latent heat of vaporization is- 6 to 1
3. Liquid thermal conductivity is -5.5 to 1
4. Viscosity is less- 0.8 to1
5. Liquid density is less - 0.5 to 1
 Field of Applications
1. Ice Plants-commercial/amusement centers
2. Cold storages-Fruit/Vegetables/meat/Fish/Seeds/Dry
fruits
3. Freezing of foods-Fish/meat/Fruits/Vegetables
4. Breweries/ Dairies
5. Chemical/Dyestuff –process cooling
6. Concrete cooling-Dams/Roads/Runways
7. Water Chillers-Air conditioning
8. Thermal storages-Heat Pumps
9. Super markets-Ammonia/CO2 cascade
10.Industrial Process/Fertilizer plants
11.Bottling Plants-Coca Cola/Pepsi
 Comparison R404a V/S Ammonia For cold room Design
Basis-3 Rooms, Each 12mx24mx9m-Sotage 500 Ton each
Temperature -200 C, For storage of Frozen Products,
Refrigeration load 3x42kW=126kW
R404a-Air Cooled R717-Ammonia-Water cooled

2units per Room screw compressors-6nos. Two stage reciprocating compressor 4

Power 22.7 kW each with air cooled cylinder, 1 No 54.4 kW power
condenser
Evaporator Star Coolers Model 2383, each Evaporator Star coolers-2383-3fans
2 Fans -999W, with electric defrost each 0.5kW, gravity flooded, water defrost
with 18 kW heaters
Piping, controls, gas insulation etc Evaporative condenser-200 kW heat
rejection, Receiver, piping, gas, controls
,insulation etc.

Total cost without Duty 74,90000 Total cost 4234000+ standby compressor
motor
Total power with out defrost 117.3 kW 68.5 kW
 Recent Trends
1. Semi Hermetic Compressors with aluminum
windings
2. High Speed screw compressors-3600 RPM
3. Low Charge systems with high side Float
4. Use of PHE foe condenser/Chiller
5. Air Cooled Ammonia systems with wet pads
6. Direct Expansion systems using miscible oils
7. Ammonia-CO2 Cascade for Super markets
8. Heat pump applications
9. Ammonia blends with DME to reduce toxicity
Pump Circulation overfeed Design systems
ECO Mesh Ammonia Air cooled condenser
Aluminum Coolers
 Modern Packaged
Ammonia Systems
•New design (PHEs or
spray type shell & tube
evaporator)
•Liquid injection system
•Better efficiency (>30%)
than HFC134a
•Less charge (0.02 to 0.5
kg/kW) for dry and flooded
evaporation
•Higher discharge pressure
(up to 40 bar)
•Safety level increased
significantly towards “zero
leak”
•Used in Europe for both
display cabinets and space
conditioning
 Ammonia for A/C and
Commercial Refrigeration
•Ammonia A/C with central plants
•Ammonia display freezer cabinets
•Independent circuits
•Secondary refrigerants used
•Risk free AC&R
PACKAGE CHILLER
AIR COOLED AMMONIA PACKAGE
CHILLER
 WATER COOLED PACKAGE CHILLER-SCREW
COMPRESSORS & PHE CONDENSER/COOLER
WATER CHILLER USING RECIPROCATING
COMPRESSOR
& ENCLOSED PHE CONDENSER/COOLER
PACKAGE MILK CHILLER WITH ‘U’ TUBE
ACCUMULATOR
Falling Film Water Chiller
SPIRAL FREEZER
IQF
IQF
SPIRAL FREEZER
PLATE FREEZER
CO2 Ammonia Cascade
AMMONIA-CO2 BRINE SYSTEM –FRUIT STORAGE-
HOLLAND
AMMONIA CHILLER AT HEATHROW AIRPORT
AMMONIA-CO2 BRINE SYSTEM –FRUIT STORAGE-
HOLLAND
AMMONIA -CO2 CASCADE
 Thank you
Any Questions ?

Ramesh.paranjpey@gmail.com

Cell No.: 9822398220